Helen Sandberg Smith Weaver

Our Helen cast away her earthly bonds April 1 for a forever dance party beyond. Her family and friends are deeply saddened – we wanted to keep her forever and we will miss her dearly. We can hold fast to wonderful memories of our incredible mother, wife, partner, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, great and great-great aunt; volunteer, supporter; and friend to thousands. The family will host a public Open House to celebrate this remarkable life on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at Alberni Golf Club in Port Alberni, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you there to honour the fabulous Helen! Helen leaves her son Grant Weaver (Marzia), daughter Nancy Blair (Jim Ferguson), grandson Matthew Weaver (Jacqueline Madden) and great- grand children Xavier and Andre; nieces Ann Siddall, Marnie Ryder, Rossie Weaver, and nephew Tony Weaver; many great-nieces and nephews. Please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society in lieu of flowers.

Helen was a force! She was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to immigrant parents. Her father, Tom John Smith was from Dundee, Scotland; her mother Hilma Marie Sandberg emigrated from the small town of Raatvik near Stockholm, Sweden. Helen was the youngest of three sisters: Peggy was eight years her senior and Marion was six years older. Helen was proud of her family and heritage and in later years was able to visit and form close bonds with her Swedish and British relatives.

The family grew up during the depression and the WWII years. Milk was delivered to the door by horse cart, and in winter the family burned a ton of coal, which the girls had to shovel after the weekly deliveries. Supplies were scarce but her parents were resourceful.

Many young men came to Saskatoon for training as pilots, so there were always partners for young ladies at the many dances, parties and balls held in those days. Helen was in her element, for she loved to dance, and she always had a new dress to wear that her mother had re-fashioned from another garment. Despite being brought up in a very proper home, whenever the music moved her, Helen could not keep her feet still and often she would dance, partner or no partner - it became a running joke with friends and family. Through life Helen took hours of ballroom dance lessons and she was very accomplished.

Helen met Ken Weaver in Winnipeg; they were married on January 6, 1945 in Saskatoon. Helen was very funny and could always make Ken laugh. While Ken was finishing his surgical training they lived in Regina, Kamloops, Halifax and then London, England. In 1952 they moved back to Port Alberni, Ken’s home town, for what they thought would be a year or two. It turned out that the town was good for them, and they also enhanced the community. Grant and then Nancy soon came along, and the family had a good life there.

Ken died in 1996. In 2007 at age 85 Helen’s heart filled with love again, this time for Doug Stuart, a widowed family friend. Together they set their worlds on fire. They laughed everyday, danced, enjoyed many exotic trips and time at both their cottages. It was a beautiful match. Doug’s death in 2013 was deeply felt by all.

Helen treasured her family and her many, many friends, She was good and generous with her nieces and nephews, and had such fun with the friends of her own kids. She adored her grandson, Matt, whose friends all still call her Nana. Helen was able meet her first great-grandchild in 2021 and the second one in 2023. Helen was a life member of the Hospital Auxiliary and an instigator of the Attic Thrift Shop.

A kaleidoscope of Helen’s life:

Summers at Sproat Lake: nighttime swims, barbeques and blackberry pies, tons of company. Dogs and cats and kittens, Scouts and Brownies; making Halloween costumes, making Christmas cakes at First United Church; Hospital Auxiliary work. Golfing fun and games; world travel, playing the piano, Bridge Club. Cocktail parties, fancy dress parties, Progressive Dinner parties, neighbourhood parties, birthday parties. Designing, shopping, power dressing. Reading, art, music, and history. Cuddles and kisses. Washing windows, ironing, gardening, home decorating, sewing, fabulous cooking and baking. Talking, talking, talking! Energetic, helping, positive, inventive, confiding, independent, no-nonsense, persnickety, athletic, elegant, dignified, beautiful, funny, slapstick, irreverent, loving you and loving life.

Helen had a lot of amusing mannerisms and expressions eg: “Rinky dink” (insignificant or unworthy) “Just get on with it.” (life or whatever else was happening) “Up jolly hockey sticks” (enthusiasm of a kind that she abhorred). But there were some fatalistic ones, too, eg. “You don’t take care of life, life takes care of you.” However, we think Helen took very good care of her life and those she loved.